A Lesson in Riddles
by EmeraldWishes
Summary: Edward Nygma/Riddler x Reader short stories
1. Story 1

You drummed your fingers against the desk as you waited for the woman to get back with your request. Having just returned to Gotham from being away for 6 years; you were itching to meet your friend Edward Nygma. He'd given you the address to his work place and so here you were, waiting in the middle of the GCPD. When you'd inquired about Edward to the woman at the front desk she'd given you a long look before heading off.

That'd been five minutes ago. You were impatient and turned around to leave when out of the corner of your eye you saw Edward talking with a woman. Unable to contain your excitement, you ran towards him.

"Eddie!" you squeal.

Edward turned towards you when he heard your voice and a look of surprise crossed his face before you barreled into him, knocking his glasses askew. He let out a laugh before wrapping his arms around you in a hug.

"You're here already (y/n)?" He said.

"Duh, silly!" you beam at him before letting him go. "I couldn't wait to see you." You reached up and fixed his glasses.

"Was your trip ok?" He asked.

"Fine," you said with a vigorous nod. Edward still had his arms around you and didn't seem very keen on letting you go.

You heard someone clear their throat and you turned your head to see the woman that Edward had been talking to before you'd interrupted.

"Who is this Mr. Nygma?" the woman asked. Her blondish brown hair was tied up and the light glinted off of her horn rimed glasses that were similar to Edwards own. Edward looked at the woman and abruptly let you go, only keeping an arm around your waist.

"Ah!" Edward said, his face brightening. "This, Ms. Kringle, is my friend (y/n) (l/n). She just moved back to Gotham after 6 years of living in Europe."

"Did I hear that Nygma has friends?" A rude voice said from behind you. You twist around to see a mean looking man walk towards you.

"Of course he has friends," you said indignantly. "Eddie's the nicest, sweetest, and most caring person I know."

"I would never think that someone would use those words to describe Nygma," the man said with a snort.

"And just who are you?" you snap.

"Detective Arnold Flass," the man said with such a sense of pride that you wanted to punch him. Male egos! Tch!

"So tell me Nygma, " Flass drawled, how'd you end up with a friend that's so good looking? I bet she just had to spre-"

Faster than anyone could blink, you slipped from Edward's grasp and kicked Flass where the sun don't shine. He doubled over and let out a groan.

"Don't ever speak to me or Eddie like that again," you hissed.

"Y-you bitch!" Flass ground out.

You aimed to kick him again but Edward grabbed your arm.

"Don't," he muttered, "it'll end up making things worse."

Begrudgingly, you listened and stepped back.

"What's going on over here?"

You looked to see two more men coming over to where you were. One had rather scraggly brown hair streaked with grey and looked more like a vagrant than someone that worked at a Police Station. The other was cleaner cut and had close chopped brown hair.

"Detectives," Edward said, pulling you closer to him.

"What's going on here?" the scraggy detective asked.

"Nygma's bitch kicked me," Flass spat, finally managing to stand up again, though he still had a pained look on his face.

You let out a snarl and made for him again. Edward sighed and wrapped both of his arms around you, pinning you to him.

"Eddie," you whine.

"If she kicked you then I believe that you fully deserved it," the second detective said bluntly.

"Jim," scraggly guy said, "she assaulted a detective."

"A detective insulted my friend, who happens to be a coworker of yours!" You snap back.

"If anything, it seems like you were trying to pick a fight," Jim said to Flass.

Flass scowled, "I was looking for Ms. Kringle," he said, "but it looks like she left."

You glanced around to find that he was right; Ms. Kringle wasn't around.

"She must've gone back to the Records Room," Jim said. "Why don't you go and check?"

"Yeah why don't you?" you snipped before letting out a small yelp as Edward pinched your arm.

Flass glared at you and Edward before stomping off.

"You better be careful Ms...?" Jim inquired.

"(L/n)," you said, "(y/n) (l/n). I'm a friend of Eddie's."

"Nice to meet you Ms. (L/n)," Jim said. "I'm Jim Gordon and this is my partner Harvey Bullock." He motioned towards scraggly guy.

"I can introduce myself," Bullock mumbled.

"Anyways, thank you for stepping in when you did," you say. "If things had continued, I probably would've been charged with assault." You let out a laugh before tilting your head to look at Eddie who still had his arms around you.

"Are you going to show me around now?" you ask. "Certainly this place is better than some of your questionable coworkers."

"Uh sure," Eddie said uncertain. "I'll get you the report later," he told Gordon and Bullock before leading you away.


	2. Story 2

"Eddie," you said, sitting on the edge of his desk and swinging your legs. "When are you going to be done?"

"As soon as Detective Gordon comes for the file," Eddie said from where he was bent over the table.

"I hope that's soon," you complain, "I'm bored."

"I could ask you a riddle," Eddie suggested.

"Please do," you said with a sigh.

" _If you break me, I'll not stop working. If you can touch me, my work is done. If you lose me, you must find me with a ring soon after. What am I?_ "

You thought for a minute before shrugging, "I don't know, enlighten me."

"A heart," Eddie said, "and you have mine."

"Aw that's so sweet Eddie," you said standing up and walking over to give him a hug.

He patted your back before letting you go. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Eddie called.

The door opened to reveal Detective Gordon. Eddie hurried over to his desk before picking up a rather thick file.

" _What's black, white and read all over?_ " He asked Gordon.

"A penguin in a blender," you replied automatically, even if the riddle wasn't for you.

Eddie and Gordon turned and stared at you.

"A penguin," Gordon said, "in a blender? Are you ok (y/n)?"

"I'm sane if that's what you mean," you said crossing your arms.

"No," Eddie said, looking at you carefully with a hint of worry.

"Oh jeez guys," you said rolling your eyes. "I'm completely sane, that's just my answer to the riddle. I've heard it several times."

"It's wrong though," Eddie said with a frown. "The answer is a newspaper."

He turned to Gordon, "there are a lot of references and information in the newspaper. I suggest you go down and talk to Ms. Kringle about it."

"A newspaper?" you said slightly confused.

"Thank you," Gordon said before leaving.

"A newspaper?" you repeated, turning to Eddie.

"Yeah," he replied. "See?" He picked up today's paper from his desk and showed it to you. "It's black and white, and everyone reads it."

"Oh!" you said, smacking your forehead. "It's read, not red! I'm an idiot!"

"You're not an idiot," Eddie said automatically, "you're one of the smartest people I know."

"Not as smart as you though," you pointed out.

"That's true," Eddie agreed.

You smacked him when he said that. "You're not supposed to agree with me! Even if it is true."

"Ow," Eddie said, rubbing his arm where you'd hit him. "That wasn't nice."

"Can we go now?" you ask, switching the subject.

"I don't see why not," Eddie said, "just let me clean up."

Ten minutes later, both of you were out of the Police Department and heading towards Eddie's car.

"Want to go and get some dinner?" Eddie asked, opening the passenger side door for you.

"Sure why not?" you said, getting into the car.

"Chinese sound good?"

"Yeah."


End file.
